Factors influencing Maasai cattle productivity in Kajiado District, Kenya

Abstract

A study to quantify and to production and nutritional parameters, determine factors influencing productivity of cattle in a Maasai pastoral production system was conducted between June 1981 and October 1983. It comprised of 719 calves with their dams and ten oesophagally fistulated cows in three group ranches. In a grazing day the cattle spent 1, 8, 14, 15 and 62% of their time drinking, ruminating, resting, walking and grazing respectively. The mean length of a grazing day of Maasai cattle, was 10.8 ± 0.6 and 10.4 ± 0.6 hr for adult cattle and calves respectively. The mean grazing orbit was 15.5 and 10.8 km for adult cattle and calves respectively. The most grazed grass species were Chloris roxburghiana. Penniseturo mezianum and Digitaria macroblephara. Season, area and the interaction of area x season were significant (P < 0.05) sources of variation for the forage nutritive values. The least squares means of the forage nutritional values were: 8.1, 69, 49, 0.26, 0.5 and 0.22%, 1703, 6.2 and 67 ppm for CP, NDF, IVDMD, p, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu and Mn respectively. Faecal values varied with area. The least squares means for the faecal components were: 1.3,62.3,41.1,12.7,0.86, 0.10, 1.44, 1.04 and 0.55%, 4256, 23.8 203 and 127 ppm for N, NDF, ADF, lignin, P, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn respectively. Significant correlation between the diet and the faeces were established for N, NDF, ADF, Mg, Fe and Mn, while for lignin, Ca, Cu, and Zn no significant correlations existed. The least squares means of calf weights at birth and the ages of 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 18 months were 19.2, 28.4, 35.2, 41.4, 41.5, 64.4 and 132.2 kg respectively. Ranch and breed were consistent sources of variation. The overall mean milk offtake for human consumption was 940g per day and it varied with ranch, producer scale, season, lactation number, lactation month, watering frequency, parturition number x season and lactation month x season. Milk composition was 5.9%, 8.8% and 14.1% fat, SNF and TS respectively. The lactation length mean and CV were 214 days and 39% respectively. The calving interval least squares mean was 548 days and it varied with season. The mortality rates for calves and cows were 8 and 5% respectively and the probability for calf survival was influenced by ranch and parturition number. This study has shown the. Maasai production system is more productive than other pastoral systems in Ethiopia, Botswana and Mali. Its success is attributed to good husbandry, which results in higher calf growth and calving rates and lower mortality rates. Low feed intake characterised by low values of crude protein and dry matter digestiblity and high values of neutral detergent fibre, is cited as the major constraint towards increased productivity of Maasai cattle. The remaining phases of the livestock system research are recommended to be embarked upon soon, with emphasis on the most limiting constraint in this case feed intake. Although low feed intake is a result of